Stage IA-T1N0M0
Stage IB-T2N0M0
Stage IIA-T1N1M0
Stage IIB-T2N1M0, T3N0M0
Stage IIIA-T3N1M0, T1-T3N2M0
Stage IIIB-T4 Any NM Any T N3M0
Stage IV-Any T Any N M1
TX-positive cancer cells without primary tumor on imaging or bronchoscopy
T0-No evidence of primary tumor
Tis-carcinoma-in-situ
T1-Tumor≤ 3 cm, surrounded by lung or visceral pleura, without bronchoscopic evidence of invasion more proximal than the lobar bronchus.
T1a:≤2cm
T1b:>2cm but≤3cm
T2-Tumor with any of the following features: > 3 cm in greatest dimension, involves mainstem bronchus, ≥2 cm distal to the carina, invades the visceral pleura, associated with atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis that extends to the hilar region but does not involve the entire lung
T2a:>3cm but≤5cm
T2b: >5cmbut≤7cm, Or tumors≤ 7 cm with invasion of visceral pleura, atelectasis of less than entire lung, proximal extent at least 2 cm from carina
T3-Tumor of any size that invades any of the following: chest wall (including superior sulcus tumors), diaphragm, mediastinal pleura, parietal pericardium: or tumor in the main bronchus < 2 cm distal to the carina, but without involvement of the carina; or associated atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis of the entire lung
T3- tumors> 7 cm or with: Direct invasion of chest wall, diaphragm, phrenic nerve, mediastinal pleura, parietal pericardium, main bronchus< 2 cm from carina (without involvement of carina) and tumor nodules in the same lobe as the primary tumor.
T3 -tumors associated with additional tumor nodules (ATNs) in the same lobe as the primary tumor
T4 –Tumor of any size that invades any of the following: mediastinum, heart, great vessels, trachea, esophagus, vertebral body, carina: or tumor with a malignant pleural or pericardial effusion, metastatic tumor nodules in different lobe from the primary tumor.
NX-Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
N0-No regional lymph node metastases
N1-Metastasis to ipsilateral peribronchial and/or ipsilateral hilar lymph nodes, and involvement of intrapulmonary nodes by direct extension of the primary tumor.
N2-Metastasis to ipsilateral mediastinal and/ or subcarinal lymph node(s).
N3-Metastasis to contralateral mediastinal, contralateral hilar, ipsilateral or contralateral scalene, or supraclavicular lymph node(s).
MX-Presence of distant metastasis cannot be assessed.
M0-No distant metastasis
M1-Distant metastasis present including metastatic tumor nodules in the ipsilateral nonprimary tumor lobes of the lung.
M1a: malignant pleural or pericardial effusion, pleural nodules or nodules in contralateral lung
M1b: distant metastases
One of its aims is to determine which patients are resectable or not.
Determines extent of disease and stratifies patients into therapeutic and prognostic groups.